Casing pump drain valve mechanism



Sept. 29,1964 c. P. HOWE 3,150,605

' CASING PUMP DRAIN VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1963 s Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOR Char/es R Ho e ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1964 c. P. HOWE CASING PUMP DRAIN VALVE MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1965 INVENTOR lllu Char/es P. Hawe 737M ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1964 Filed Feb. 15, 1963 C. P. HOWE CASING PUMP DRAIN VALVE MECHANISM JOY s Sheets-Shet s INVENTGR Charles P. Howe ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,150,605 CASING PUMP DRAIN VALVE MECHANISM Charles P. Howe, 220 E. Elm St., P.0. Box 49, Albion, Ill. Filed Feb. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 258,736 Claims. (Cl. 103-221) This invention relates to an improved pump drain valve mechanism and has for an object to provide a casing pump drain valve that is an improvement over the casing pump drain valve shown in applicants prior Patent No. 2,674,? 200, issued April 6, 1954, and this invention is particularly useful in the method of pumping oil under pressure without loss of gas as disclosed in applicants other patent issued the same date, Patent No. 2,674,198.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved casing pump drain valve which will permit and cause the entrapped sands and solids above the pump head to be washed and drained back through the pump head before the casing pump is pulled for repair or replacement, and wherein the valve will remain operative, both to open and to close, even though it is subject to a bend at the location of the valve, that the valve may be operative, even though it may be at an angle other than strictly vertical and even though there may be a bend in the pump at the location of the valve.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved drain valve for a casing pump which will not only be useful in carrying out all the objects and purposes set forth in applicants two previously issued patents mentioned above of April 6, 1954, but which will continue to be operative irrespective of deviations from the vertical not only in the angle of the Well casing but also irrespective of whether there may be an angle at the particular location of the valve.

This valve, just as in the valve of the aforementioned patent, also not only automatically releases the hydrostatic pressure upon the unit before raising the pumping unit from its operation position, but it also causes any entrapped sands or solids above the pump head to be washed downwardly from above the pump head through the drain opening to below the same so that the pumping unit may be easily pulled with the regular pulley equipment and without likelihood of breaks occurring by pulling the pump for inspection, repairs or replacement.

With this invention, however, the drain valves insure that any sands or solids will be washed downwardly through the pump head, even though there is a bend in the well, thus relieving the pumping unit from any load of.

hydrostatic pressure of oil or any weight of sands or solids and thus leaving the pumping unit free to be readily removed in the usual manner.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a drain valve for a casing pump wherein the drain valve is connected to a floating bridge which may be lifted by the pumping rod in removing the same, but which is furthermore connected by a lost motion connection to this floating bridge to thus readily permit a valve element to i be jarred or hammered loose, either from its closed position to the open position, and vice versa from the open position to the closed position, so as to insure that it can be opened even though it may be closed with great pressure, and to insure that suflicient pressure may be applied thereon to retain it in closed position during the pumping operation.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improved valve wherein a capped member is movable axially over an open tube to either open or closed position, with a valve seat formed between the cap and the tube, by having the relative internal diameter of the cap and external diameter of the tube being such that axial movement therebetween will progressively close off the annular space therebetween to finally close the opening 3,150,605 Patented Sept. 29,, 1964 when moved in one direction or to open the opening when moved in the other direction, which valve seat effect will still take place even though the tube and the cap do not move in a true axial direction to each other but at a slight angle of the two axial directions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprises the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, claimed and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the drain valve and associated mechanism in operative position within an oil well casing.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the drain valve per se, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on the same enlarged scale, on line 33 of FIG. 1, of the drain valve per se.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on line 44 of FIG. 1, partly in section showing the traveling valve and pump piston.

FIG. 5 is a section on line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of FIG. 1, showing the standing valve.

FIG. 7 is a section on line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a section of the drain valve, on a still larger scale, showing the valves in sealing position.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section, on a greater enlarged scale, of the drain valves in drain position.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on line 1010 of FIG. 9.

There is shown at 10 the drain valve mechanism of this invention as temporarily sealed within a well casing 12 and through which extends and is reciprocated the pumping rod 14 to the lower end of which is secured as by a coupling 16, the pumping unit 18, including the cus tomary pump piston 20 and pump piston packings 22, together with its customary traveling valve mechanism 24 operating in the usual manner, as described in applicants prior patents above-identified. Forming part of the pumping unit 18 in cooperation with the pump piston 20 is the pump barrel 26 at the bottom of which is secured the customary valve cage or standing valve 28 consisting of the valve cage 30 and ball valve 32.

The pump rod 14 consists of a lower pump rod 34 secured by a coupling 36 to an upper pump rod 38 which extends and reciprocates axially through a floating bridge 40 which is freely slidable within a cylindrical recess in a guide sleeve 44 forming part of a yoke having yoke arms 46 extending integrally upwardly from the pump head 48.

This pump head 48 is a substantially cylindrical mem- 50 arranged when in pumping position to extend into and compress a Neoprene packing 52 against the sides of the well casing 12 to provide a leak-proof seal therewith. Extending vertically through the pump head 48 are a pair of drain openings 54 leading to the inside of the skirt 50. Threaded into the top of the pump head 48 in communication with each of the two drain openings 54 is a drain valve tube 56 having its lower end suitably threaded at 58 and provided adjacent the threads 58 with an integral hex 60 for receiving a wrench.

Above the hex portion 60, the tube 56 tapers upwardly in a cone shape as at 62, thus having a gradually pro-- As apparent from FIGS. 3, 8 and 9, the maximum external diameter of the cone-shaped portion 62 of tube 56 is greater than the internal diameter 68 of the cylindrical cap 66 and the minimum external diameter of the cone-shaped portion 62, particularly adjacent the portion 64 is substantially less than that of the internal diameter 66 of the cap member 66. As the result, any oil draining down the casing 12 from above the ump head and draining valve mechanism at must reverse its course in order to pass through the annulus 81 about the reduced end 64 of the cone-shaped tube 62 when it is in the open pOSitiOn shown in FIG. 9 and thus follow the arrows 80 up through the annulus 81 and down at arrows 82 through the hollow tube leading at arrows 84 to the drain openings 54. As shown in FIG. 8, the drain openings 54 connect through drain passages 86 to drain outlets 88 in the pump assembly to outside of the pump valve and thus back down to the formation therebelow. The drain passages 86 and drain openings 88 are located in a drain assembly 90 to which the Neoprene packing 52 is secured.

When it is desired to pull the pump, it is first necessary to get rid of all fluid such as oil and also any entrapped sands or solids above the pump head 48 before the pump head 48 and drain valve mechanism at 10 can be raised. Normally, during the pumping operation, pump piston 18 reciprocates back and forth, through the operation of the upper pump rod 38 connected above the guide sleeve 44 to the conventional sucker rod, the coupling unit 36 normally never rises above the position: in FIG. 8. However, to open the drain valve, the coupling unit 36 is raised to the position 36' shown in FIG. 9, thus raising the floating head 40 as shown and by means of the neck 70, lifting the cap members 66 from. the cone surface 62 of the tubes 56. This permits the fluid to follow the direction of the arrows 80 and 82 through to the drain passages 86 and 88 to below the packing seal 52 and thus let all the oil and entrapped sands flow therethrough. The reverse flow of the oil through the annular passage, particularly at 80, thus causes a swirling motion in the bottom of the oil column thoroughly washing out any entrapped sand through the opening so that by the time the column of sand has drained from above to below, every bit of sand will have been washed through, leaving the pumping unit free of both the weight of the oil column and of the weight of any sand that might otherwise have been left thereabove.

Should the weight of the solids make it diflicult to pull the cylindrical cap 66 from off the cone surface 62, the lost motion provided at 78 around the necks 70 and also at 79 between the floating head 40 and the shoulders on top of the cupped cylinders will provide room for a jarring or hammered motion to readily free the cylinder from the cone.

When the pumping unit is being replaced into the casing 12, it is let down in the usual manner by means of its sucker rod until the pump perforation (not shown) below the valve barrel is at or below the pay zone as described in the aforementioned patent on method of pumping oil under pressure without loss of gas, No. 2,674,198, to thus take up the weight of the pump barrel and its associated mechanism. The weight of the yoke 44 is usually sufficient, not only to close the cup members 66 over the coned tube 56, but also to cause the skirt 50 of pump head 48 to enter into the Neoprene packing 52 and seal it securely against the inside of the well casing 12, the sucker rod and connected pump rod 14 being lowered to move the coupling 36 downwardly from its position 36' to where it is now supporting the yoke 44.

Due to the cone shape of the tube 56 at 62 and the internal cylindrical right shape 68 of the cap cylinder 66, the drain valves will be immediately closed by the axial movement of the top right cylinders 66 down over the cone shape 62 of the tubes 56, even though the cas- 4 ing 12 may not extend exactly vertical or even further should there be a bend in the casing just at the location where the valves happen to locate. The valves will still close and still open under such circumstances through proper manipulation of the sucker rod. A jar motion to help close the valve can, of course, be provided by merely slightly lifting the yoke 44 by means of the coupling at 36 and then releasing it, causing the floating bridge 40 to hammer down on the top of the cap cylinders 66 forcing them into a secure and tight sealing position irrespective of any slight angularity between the axis of the tube and the axis of the cap cylinder or irrespective of wear in their confronting surfaces. This action, of course, also helps to cause the pump head 48 and particularly its flared skirt 50 to enter the Neoprene packing 52 until the bottom of the skirt 50 contacts the top of the valve assembly portions 90, as shown in FIG. 8.

Where the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, that changes in details and construction may be made therein within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. Drain valve means comprising an upwardly extending tube having supporting means at its bottom, the external diameter of said tube increasing progressively in the shape of a cone intermediate its upper and lower portions, and an inverted cupped right cylinder extending downwardly over, about and below the upper end of said tube in both open and closed positions, said right cylinder having an internal diameter greater than the minimum, but less than the maximum, external diameter of said tube.

2. Drain valve means comprising an upwardly extending tube having threaded means at its bottom, a threaded drain member in which said tube threaded means is connected, the external diameter of said tube increasing progressively in the shape of a cone intermediate its upper and lower portions, and an inverted cupped right cylinder extending downwardly over, about and below the upper end of said tube in both open and closed position, said right cylinder having an internal diameter greater than the minimum, but less than the maximum, external diameter of said tube.

3. Drain valve means comprising an upwardly extending tube having supporting means at its bottom, an inverted cupped member extending down over, about, and below the upper end of said upwardly extending tube when in open position, the confronting surface of one of said cupped member and said tube being in the shape of a cone, the confronting surface of the other of them being in the shape of a right cylinder, the relative internal diameter of said cupped member and external diameter of said tube being such that axial movement of said cupped member further down over said tube will progressively close and eliminate the annular spacing between said cupped member and tube to cut off any flow through said tube, while axial movement in the opposite direction will open said tube to flow therethrough from said cupped member, said tube and cupped member being non-deformable relative to each other.

4. Drain valve means comprising an upwardly extending tube having threaded connecting means at its bottom, a threaded drain member in which said threaded connecting means is supported, an inverted cupped member extending down over, about, and below the upper end of said upwardly extending tube when in open position, the relative internal diameter of said cupped member and external diameter of said tube being such that axial movement of said cupped member further down over said tube will progressively close and eliminate the annular spacing between said cupped member and tube to cut off any flow through said tube, while axial movement in the opposite direction will open said tube to flow therethrough from said cupped member, said tube and cupped member being non-deformable relative to each other.

5. In a pumping unit of the class described having a pump head, the head having a drain opening providing communication above and below the head and an operating rod normally reciprocable through the head in a pumping operation; drain valve means for closing the drain opening comprising an upwardly extending tube secured on and extending above said pump head, the drain opening extending through said tube, the external diameter of said tube decreasing progressively in the shape of a cone intermediate its lower and upper portions, an inverted cupped cylinder extending downwardly over, about, and below the upper end of said tube when in open position, said cupped cylinder being moved further down over said tube to close said drain opening through said tube, said cupped cylinder having an internal diameter greater than the minimum, but less than the maximum, external diameter of said tube, and means operatively connecting said cupped cylinder to the operating rod.

6. The valve means of claim 5, said connecting means comprising a lost motion means for loosely securing each said cupped cylinder to said operating rod, whereby the operating rod, lifted above normal position may lift said cupped cylinder upwardly of said tube.

7. The valve means of claim 5, said upper tube portion and said lower tube portion being of different diameters, said upper tube portion being of uniform diameter.

8. The valve means of claim 7, and a threaded neck extending from the lower portion of said tube providing means for securing said tube to said pump head.

9. The valve means of claim 6, said lost motion means comprising a floating bridge through which said operating rod extends, said operating rod having an abutment movable into contact with said floating bridge said inverted cupped cylinders each having an upwardly extending neck extending loosely through a neck receiving aperture through said floating bridge, nut means secured on each said threaded neck above said floating bridge with a shoulder on the end of each said cupped cylinder provided by said threaded necks, spaced below said floating bridge.

10. Valve means comprising a hollow tube, a cupped cylinder extending over, about, and beyond one end of said tube and providing an annular flow path therebetween when in open position, the relative internal diameter of said cupped cylinder and external diameter of said tube being progressively different, the confronting surface of one of them being in the shape of a cone, the confronting surface of the other of them being in the shape of a right cylinder, axial movement of said cupped cylinder toward said tube closing off said annular flow path, and axial movement of said cupped cylinder in the opposite direction opening said annular flow path to the inside of said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,007 Garland May 11, 1875 254,130 Harrison Feb. 28, 1882 325,264 Mills Sept. 1, 1885 912,009 Long Feb. 9, 1909 2,674,200 Howe Apr. 6, 1954 2,997,963 Hatcher Aug. 29, 1961 

5. IN A PUMPING UNIT OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING A PUMP HEAD, THE HEAD HAVING A DRAIN OPENING PROVIDING COMMUNICATION ABOVE AND BELOW THE HEAD AND AN OPERATING ROD NORMALLY RECIPROCABLE THROUGH THE HEAD IN A PUMPING OPERATION; DRAIN VALVE MEANS FOR CLOSING THE DRAIN OPENING COMPRISING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING TUBE SECURED ON AND EXTENDING ABOVE SAID PUMP HEAD, THE DRAIN OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TUBE, THE EXTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID TUBE DECREASING PROGRESSIVELY IN THE SHAPE OF A CONE INTERMEDIATE ITS LOWER AND UPPER PORTIONS, AN INVERTED CUPPED CYLINDER EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY OVER, ABOUT, AND BELOW THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBE WHEN IN OPEN POSITION, SAID CUPPED CYLINDER BEING MOVED FURTHER DOWN OVER SAID TUBE TO CLOSE SAID DRAIN OPENING THROUGH SAID TUBE, SAID CUPPED CYLINDER HAVING AN INTERNAL DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE MINIMUM, BUT LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM, EXTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID TUBE, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID CUPPED CYLINDER TO THE OPERATING ROD. 